Rock Springs to Ft Collins- Ft Collins to Limon, CO

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blog 09-04-15 Rock Springs to Ft Collins

09-05-15 Ft Collins to Limon, CO



I didn't stay in Rock Creek last night, it was Rock Springs. Too tired to even know where I am!

Got up and moving and managed to be on the road by 8:15 and thankfully again the sun was up high enough it was not directly in my eyes. The temperature was warming up fast and the air smelled heavenly. I headed east on 80 and the terrain was still rolling hills, mostly grazing land and hay production. Just passed Rawlins I saw Medicine Bow Peak 12,013 ft , picture, that stood out especially with it's tree cover.

I took a quick trip through Laramie just to see it then headed south on 287 to Ft Collins. The weather was getting cloudy and there were thunder storms over the mountains to my right complete with several lightening strikes. One side of the road was very stormy, the other side was bright and sunny, very strange looking. Pictures

I found a rest stop and had a little walk then went to a table to eat my salad. There was a couple having their lunch and they invited me to sit with them. They were from Idaho and on their way to visit a new grand child in Ft Collins. They were members of the Church of Latter Day Saints and were proud to say they had 11 children and if the whole family got together at once there would be 163 blood relatives. Wow, Christmas must be expensive for them. They were very interesting and sweet people, really enjoyed my visit with them.

I headed into Ft Collins and I'm sure glad I had a GPS to route me to Jess's house. I was there to visit with my niece Jess and her husband Rob who got married a year ago. Their home is beautiful and in a very friendly neighborhood, complete with front porches. Oscar met their Tilly and after a little walk together the 2 dogs were good friends.

Jess and I sat on the front porch visiting until Rob came home and we went out for dinner in old town Ft Collins which is a charming old west town. We stopped in a coffee house where Jess's friend was going to do a poetry reading but it was not for an hour or so, we decided to head home.

The next morning Jess and Rob were dressed up to attend the Tour De Fat bike parade in town. It was customary to dress up for the occasion in crazy costumes but you had to be careful, you didn't want your clothes getting stuck in the bike chain or wheels. Picture

I headed east on 14 to the Pawnee Nat'l Grass Lands to see miles of short grass that was once what covered the prairie. It was beautiful and peaceful, I played Dances With Wolves from the cd and relived the movie. Perfect.

Then it was time to head south on 71 through fields of hay, corn, rye and wheat that had been harvested. We are still at an altitude of 4,500 ft although it looks flat like it would at sea level. The average farm is over 3,000 acres so the farm houses were few and far between. I came up a hill and on the ridge was a huge windmill farm. Pictures. I guess they are necessary but they sure do spoil the view.

I came down the hill and found the town of Limon nestled in the little valley. It had a grain elevator, rail road tracks and wide streets. I found the campground and was pleased to see some trees and flowers. It is another KOA and I have found them to be very nice campgrounds. I settled into my site and the woman behind me said not to miss the pool, it was very pleasant. By then I was hot and sweaty so the pool sounded like a great idea.

The water was warm yet refreshing and there was a little girl there that was very social and I enjoyed playing with her. Such a cute little voice, so excited to be in the pool.

I talked to a woman who was traveling with her husband, they were from Alabama and they were on their way to Yellowstone National Park then on to the Nat'l parks in Utah. They had to stay in campgrounds with cable tv because her husband is a crazy football fan, she's at the pool, he's inside watching football. Everybody is happy.

I had disconnected the car for the first time since leaving Washington and drove into town to have a look at it. Very quiet town with wide streets but some closed businesses making it a little depressed. It was neat and clean with several shops and grocery stores and of course, the feed supply store.

I came back and had dinner then sat out until the mosquitoes drove me inside. A motor home drove up next to me with a trailer carrying an antique car that was newly restored to it's original beauty. It was a turquoise and white Edsel with wide white walls, a real beauty. They drove from Alabama to Denver to pick it up and driving back right away.

My drive today wasn't too long 216 miles and a very enjoyable one. I like driving on the back roads, you really get to see Americana. These are nice and neat homes and almost all were flying the America flag.

I decided to take the next day off and stay here for 2 nights to just relax. It's quiet and peaceful and will be fun to explore the town when I feel like moving tomorrow.

I also have cable tv here so I'm loving that. My tv level is low, I'll have to catch up.

Oscar has thrown himself in the sun outside and is going to love a day on stable ground.

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Comments

[Dan Rosencrance]

Looks like fun
Love your photos and you are good blogger. The extended road trip is so enticing, would like to try it. Well done, Kathy Dan